Look only to the current Iranian leaders if it comes to a conflict.

If the Arab countries did not learn anything from the wars with Israel they are at a big disadvantage with the United States. This country only needs to fire one ICBM to finish them. One ICBM carries 20 warheads or more now.

I normally don't read the uber-biased Vox site, but they are correct; it would be a nightmare. Oh, I think the U.S. could cripple their military capabilities, but probably not completely disable them. What would worry me would be that no U.S. citizen would be safe anywhere in the world after that and esp. not in the M.E. There would be a hundred thousand or more Islamic radicals lining up to get their 40 virgins.

Ordinarily, I'd say the countries in the region should handle this, but the Saudis aren't going to do a thing b/c the royals are hanging on to power by a thread and most of the other countries don't have the firepower or the will to intervene. If Israel launches a preemptive attack, then that will definitely trigger a conflict that the U.S. will be forced to enter, like it or not.   

Looking at it pragmatically, this is a no-win situation for Trump; if he launches an attack, then that would probably cost him the election. If he doesn't do anything, then he will be perceived as weak...and cost him the election.

And, if Trump DOES attack and uses nukes, then the U.S. would lose support among our allies and we might face our own sanctions from not only China and Russia, but from many of our friends as well.

What a mess. If I understand JAP correctly, I would agree. The only hope we would have would be to take out the Iranian leaders...I think that *might* garner *some* support among the Iranian population.

It seems that the Iranian Shiites never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity (to learn from recent Middle Eastern lessons)